Early Childhood Education: How Technology Benefits Learning

The ability to think and use our mental faculties to solve problems, both in the practical sense and morally, is what sets humans apart from the rest of the earth dwellers. The childhood years, when the young mind is most inquisitive and alive to the possibilities of learning, are the most important for developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. In the past, learning was done by book, a black board, and some chalk. Today, the world is a faster more dynamic place with ever changing advances in technology and the way we see the world. It is essential that children are able to keep speed with these changes if they are going to be probably prepared to enter into the real world.

How Technology Benefits Early Childhood Education

Here is a brief look at some of the most essential technologies and how they help boost learning.

The Internet

The Internet is the biggie in terms of its benefit to early childhood education! The world as we know it now would not really work without the internet. Despite being around for a relatively short period of time, it is an essential part of life across the world. The opportunities that it affords children are immense. The information that was once only available in vast collections of encyclopedias is now right there at the click of a button. The internet is the new gateway to information and it is a tool that will help children from all backgrounds to have access to the future. Additionally, in a world increasingly split between the haves and have nots, the internet is the resource that we can rely on now to keep the playing field a little more level.

Tablets

The introduction of touch screen tablets as a means of mass communication has been a monumental development in the way children can be educated. The interactive nature of physically touching a screen that responds to that touch, both visually and through sound, is a step forward that opens many doors. The simplicity of such tools means that they can be used by toddlers and small children, giving them rapid access to the kind of technology that will go onto dominate their lives. Despite starting out simply, the actual complexity that is needed to use the games and programs that are available through this medium means that children brought up in this way are much better problem solvers and practical thinkers than previous generations ever were.

Social Media

It is the myriad ways of communicating, as much as the technologies that allow this, that are seeing the children of today be more and more adept at interacting with each other on various levels. New phenomena like Twitter and Facebook may seem like places which can hinder rather than help a child's education, but the way in which they encourage social interaction through communication should be looked at as a positive. Children today develop different writing styles and modes of communication because of these outlets, meaning that children who perhaps might once have been shy and introverted now find a platform on which they can express their voice. Blogging is also a highly interesting area which has great potential for enabling better communication skills, as well as encouraging learning, sharing of opinions, and intelligent discussion all at the same time.

Mobile Devices

Perhaps one of the most intriguing developments has been that of the mobile device. The rapid surge in availability and the advance in technologies that accompanies this means that kids are more and more connected to the modern world. Social networks are maintained here but the constant development of things such as Google apps has resulted in educational tools also becoming more and more prevalent. The widespread accessibility to the internet through these devices means that children are now constantly occupied with something. This in turn creates naturally active and curious minds. Okay, they might not always be doing school research but even the games they play here are helping to develop their skill sets and increasing their ability to progress within the rapidly evolving technological age in which we all live.

How do you and your family use technology to learn?

The article was written by Alisha Webb. Alisha is a British writer and content developer for Conosco.com.